"How to raise a dog that anyone can live with" is the title of a 6-week training program I developed. The title was chosen very carefully to show what I believe are today's dog owners' expectation and responsibilities.
First, the title indicates that you would 'raise' your dog instead of 'train' him. The reason for this has to do with the knowledge gained in the last two decades about both dogs and dog owners. Today a dog owner wants his pet to be a member of the family. We dress our dogs in designer clothes and feed him gourmet food. This has improved the standard of living for our dogs (which is a good thing). But, it has also raised the bar on our expectations for our dog's behavior.
By welcoming dogs into our homes and families we have changed the training requirements to include house manners. Concepts such as, don't jump on visitors and no barking during prime time TV hours are far more difficult for the dog than just obedience behaviors like sit and down. With concepts that require a dog to respect personal space and belongings, it is important for a dog owner to understand the basics of canine behavior. Knowing why your dog behaves the way he does becomes paramount. The dog behaves the way he does because you behave the way you do! This is where the additional elements of a well-rounded dog training program come into play.
Now, why does the title include the phrase ". . . that everyone can live with"? Well, in my book (both literally and figuratively), increased expectations equal increased responsibility. We are asking our dogs to reciprocate our love by making us feel loved. We want loyalty, affection and obedience for as long as they live with us. But what happens if they can no longer live with us. Many dog households will suffer death, divorce, and change in financial position or living conditions. What then? If your dog is raised to live only in your home or back yard, what are his chances of finding another forever home? The reason most dogs end up abandoned is because they lack 'house manners', not because they can't sit or lie down.
So, how do you raise a dog that anyone can live with? By teaching dog owners more than just simple obedience commands. I think all dog training programs should include the following four elements:
SOCIALIZATION - Socialization is a dog developing a relationship with everything common to humans in a controlled manner. It is more than visits to the Dog Park and walks around the block. It is how we teach our dogs what is and what is not a threat in our world.
LEADERSHIP - Leadership is a dog owner controlling a dog's behavior by controlling his own. It's all about resource ownership and consistency.
OBEDIENCE - Obedience is the traditional behaviors like sit, down and stay. Plus, house manners such as housetraining, no jumping, and no biting or chewing furniture.
HEALTH - Health covers the mental and physical needs of a dog for optimal health, which can optimize life span and greatly affect behaviors.
I teach these four elements in all my in-home, group dog training programs and have recently released an affordable home dog training program in a downloadable ebook form for dog owners that choose to do it on their own. If dogs came with an instruction manual, this would be it! Visit my website for more information.
Keywords: dog training books, online dog training, dogs, dog training
How to Raise a Dog Anyone Can Live with
